Wood chipper with adjustable bed knife



July 20, 1965 J. HALL WOOD CHIPPER WITH ADJUSTABLE BED KNIFE Filed Nov. 50, 1962 L'LEWELLYN (I. HQLL INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,195,592 WQUD QHWPER Wl'lH ADIl'USTAlbLE BED KNEE Llewellyn .l. I-Iali, Claremont, Calih, assignor to Wayne Manufacturing Company, Pomona, alit., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 30, 1952, Ser. No. 241,1d5 3 Claims. (ill. 144-172) This invention relates generally to chippers of the type wherein a rotary cutter head cooperates with a typically non-rotating bed structure to chip fibrous feed, as for producing mulch. More specifically, the invention concerns improvements in the adjustment of such chipping equipment thereby to achieve highly variable control of chipping action.

Selectivity of chip size has become of increasing importance as the uses or" wood or brush chips have expanded. For example, for purposes of mulch in orchards, trimmings such as those from citrus trees must be cut into relatively short chips for desirably rapid deterioration into the soil. Larger and heavier chips are generally desirable for roadside mulch in order that they resist blowing away and function to prevent erosion. Such heavier chips are also desirable for farm applications as in cattle rest sheds and general barn yard use. For paper pulp, chips of even length are essential. Ettective regulation or control of chip size over a range encompassing all of these uses, as well as others, is not possible with ordinary chippers, as for example those characterized as having bed knives which are permanently fixed relative to a rotary cutter head or which are adjustable generally only linearly toward or away from the head.

The present invention makes possible markedly increased versatility of fibrous teed chipping apparatus, and fulfills the above mentioned requirements over a range of chip sizes that would otherwise require the use of several different types of machines. Broadly, the chipping apparatus is of the type wherein a cutter head rotates about its axis to carry the moving cutter means along a rotary course and the feed is guided to travel generally forwardly into and along the course of cutter means travel. Within this environment a bed structure is provided to have a working edge located in proximity to the cutter means course, and a bed plate portion proximate the bed cutting element or knife has a series of selectable positions throughout a zone outwardly of the cutter means course. The said zone is characterized as having with respect to the rotary head axis radial thickness over an angular sector predetermined in accordance with variable control of chipping action proximate the bed knife edge. Typically, the knife edge as Well as the bed plate portion proximate thereto are subject to selectable positioning by means for effecting bodily movement of the bed plate and knife generally tangentially as well as radially of the cylindrical cutter course.

Other objects and features of the invention include the provision of bed plate and bed knife elements which are relatively adjustable and also bodily movable in integral relation, adjustable members to accommodate such movement and to fix the bed plate and bed knife in any selected position corresponding to the zone as characterized above, and improvements in rotary cutter head structure wherein a series of angularly spaced cutter sup ports have serrations releasably clamped against head serrations allowing for outward adjustment in small discrete steps radially enlarging said course with respect to said zone as characterized above.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

3,l95,592 Patented July 20, 1965 FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the improved chipping apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1', and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the mode of operation of the invention.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the feed chipping apparatus illustrated includes a feed chute 10 having side, bottom and top plates 11, 12 and 13 directed as shown to function as guide structure for directing the feed to travel generally forwardly in the direction of arrows 14 into and through the course of cutter means edge travel indicated at E5 in FIG. 3. The guide structure also includes a bed plate 16 spaced generally below an upper shroud l7 and a rotary cutter head 13 is located in said space to rotate about a horizontally elongated axis 19, whereby the course 15 is described by the edges 20 of the cutters 21 carried by the head.

A bed knife 22 is provided to have an edge 23 located in proximity to the course 15, and typically forwardly of a vertical plane 24 through the axis 19. The bed plate 16 has a portion 25 proximate the knife edge, and in accordance'with one aspect of the invention the said portion has a series of selectable positions through out a zone outwardly of the course 15. Reference to FIG. 3 shows the said zone 26 characterized as having with respect to the axis 19 radial thickness over an angular sector A that is predetermined in accordance with variable control of chipping action proximate the bed knife edge 23. The closer portion 2-5 and edge 23 are moved toward the vertical plane 24, the shorter and more even the length of the chip becomes, even on smaller diameter brush feed, and at the same time the feed rate becomes slower at a given cutter head speed.

The radial thickness of zone as is encompassed within an angular sector B defined by radii emanating from a bed plate pivot location generally indicated at 27. A pivot at said location is shown in PEG. 1 to include a crowned part 23 attached to vertical support structure 291 and fully supporting the underside extent 3% of the bed plate. Attachment of the part or pivot 28 to the bed plate may be assured as by the threaded fastener 31 projecting upwardly through an aperture 32 in said part, the aperture being elongated to permit longitudinal or forward and rearward bodily adjustment movement of the selectively tilted bed plate 16 and the fastener 31, all with respect to the rotary head 18. As described above, such movement displaces the portion 25 and edge 23 generally horizontally or tangentially with respect to course 15 and within limits defined by the angular sector A of FlG. 3. One form of adjustment member to accomplish such movement is shown at 131 in FIG. 1 and as having a threaded shank passing through a flange 132 of the plate 16. The tip 33 of the fastener bears freely against the part 2&5, whereby forward advancement of the fastener retracts the plate 16 leitwardly in FIG. 1, and retraction of the fastener allows the plate 16 to be advanced for wardly as limited by engagement of the tip 33 with part 28.

Reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 will show one form of adjustrnent member for locating the bed plate portion 3.5 and the knife edge 32 in any selected angular position with respect to pivot 27, and within the confines oi angular sector B, to comprise a threaded fastener 34. The latter has a threaded shank freely passing through slot 134 in a part 35 attached to support structure 29. Nuts 3d and 3? carried on the fastener above and below the part 35 may be loosened and tightened with respect thereto to elevate or lower the fastener and the transverse bed plate support bar 38 attached thereto at 39. A flange 49 attached to bar 38 as by fastener 41 projects forwardly at a2, and an adjustment member 43 projects uparoaeea wardly from the flange to bear against the underside of theknife 22. t

' Upon loosening of a threaded fastener 44 clamping the knife 22 to be carried at the forward side of the plate 16, the member 43 may be advanced upwardly or retracted downwardly to move edge 23 toward or away from the course 15, and in relation to the bed plate.

Thereafter, the fastener 44 maybe tightened to for edge discrete steps radially enlarging or decreasing said course 15 with respect to said zone 26. Clamp plates and jack screws therefore are shown at 52 and 53 the screws being 7 23 in integral relation to the plate portion 25, as preyi- 1 51 to allow for inward or outward adjustment in'srnall tightcnable against head recess interior faces 55 to urge the ,plates'52 against the cutters to lock the serrations. Accordingly, the cutters may be quickly loosened and adjusted inwardly or outwardly by shifting over one or more serrations, to achieve desired radial diameter adjustment of cutter means course 15.

I claim: v

1. In fibrous feed chipping apparatus:

(a) a cutter head rotatable about its axis to carry cutter means along a rotary course,

(b) a bed plate having a feed guide surface exposed to and directed toward said course,

(c) a bed knife carried by said plate and having an I edge proximate the periphery of said course,

(d) first adjustment means to bodily shift the bed knife in a first linear direction toward and away from said course and relative to said bed plate,

(e) a pivot part spaced from said bed knife and supporting the bed plate for rocking adjustment carrying the 'bed knife toward and away from said course,

(if) second adjustment means to adjustably hold the bed plate in a selected angular position with r spect to said pivot, t

(g) and third adjustment means to adjustably shift the bed plate along a second linear direction substantially normal to said first linear direction while the plate remains supported on the pivot part.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said second linear direction is generally parallel to the'direction of feed travel toward said bed' knife edge.

3. The combination of claim lin which said second adjustment means includes a screw fastener holding the bed plate clamped toward the upper surface of said pivot part, said surface being crowned.

References Cited hy the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 542,075 7/95- Brown 144-172 2,634,062 4/53 Forman.

2,917,091 12/59 Smith 144-230 FOREIGN PATENTS 505,776 9/54 Canadaf WiLLlAM Vi. DYER, IR., Prjmary Examiner.

EARL EMSHVVILLER, ANDREW R. JUHASZ,

t Examiners. 

1. IN FIBROUS FEED CHIPPING APPARATUS: (A) A CUTTER HEAD ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS AXIS TO CARRY CUTTER MEANS ALONGA ROTARY COURSE, (B) A BED PLATE HAVING A FEED GUIDE SURFACE EXPOSED TO AND DIRECTED TOWARD SAID COURSE, (C) A BED KNIFE CARRIED BY SAID PLATE AND HAVING AN EDGE PROXIMATE THE PERIPHERY OF SAID COURSE, (D) FIRST ADJUSTMENT MEANS TO BODILY SHIFT THE BED KNIFE IN A FIRST LINEAR DIRECTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID COURSE AND RELATIVE TO SAID BED PLATE, (E) A PIVOT PART SPACED FROM SAID BED KNIFE AND SUPPORTING THE BED PLATE FOR ROCKING ADJUSTMENT CARRYING THE BED KNIFE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID COURSE, (F) SECOND ADJUSTMENT MEANS TO ADJUSTABLY HOLD THE BED PLATE IN A SELECTED ANGULAR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID PIVOT, (G) AND THIRD ADJUSTMENT MEANS TO ADJUSTABLY SHIFT THE BED PLATE ALONG A SECOND LINEAR DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID FIRST LINEAR DIRECTION WHILE THE PLATE REMAINS SUPPORTED ON THE PIVOT PART. 